The American cultural revolution has forced leaders of Christian institutions to confront the fact that the ground has already shifted under their feet. Desperate calls to unity have become for many a signal that biblical principles must bow to political fashions. Strategies that worked in the past are ill-equipped for an environment in which every corner of American life is politicized. This mismatch creates strain and division within Christian institutions and makes them less effective in executing their Kingdom missions.
With three strategic initiatives, American Reformer is promoting a vigorous Christian response to the cultural challenges of our day, rooted in the rich tradition of Protestant social and political thought. By fostering a conversation with perspectives now dismissed by mainstream publications, American Reformer Journal equips evangelical Christians to confidently and forthrightly defend Scriptural truths and natural law in the face of widespread cultural capitulation.
Through its Reform Initiative, AR partners with leaders within Christian institutions who seek to reform and revitalize their institutions for the challenges of today. And through its Cotton Mather Fellowship, AR is preparing a network of young American Protestants with both the intellectual firepower and practical wisdom to bring biblically-centered reform to existing institutions and those that need to be built for a moment such as this. With a formation in subjects such as Political Theology, Moral Order, Christian Civic Engagement, and American History, fellows hear directly from leading scholars and produce articles and research that are creating models for faithful, biblical leadership today.
Sadly, for many churches and once-vibrant Christian institutions, it’s too late. Untold numbers of pastors, school presidents, and seminary professors were blindsided by the wave of anti-biblical, “social gospel” activism of the last several years, splitting congregations and ministry donor communities. Those left standing are awake but need intellectual and communal support. By equipping these leaders with the intellectual, strategic, and networking resources they need, American Reformer and its partners in the Bradley Impact Fund community are helping create more resilient, missional institutions built to flourish, whatever comes their way.